Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor – who just traded Kevin Love to the Cavaliers – chose a middle road, albeit one that runs for too close to Gilbert’s lead. No matter what praise Taylor has bestowed upon Love, the owner’s negative tone resonates today.

“I question Kevin if this is going to be the best deal for him because I think he’s going to be the third player on a team. I don’t think he’s going to get a lot of credit if they do really well. I think he’ll get the blame if they don’t do well. He’s going to have to learn to handle that.

“I think he’s around a couple guys are awful good. Now I’m not saying that Kevin’s not good, but I think where maybe he got away with some stuff, not playing defense on our team, I’m not sure how that’s going to work in Cleveland. So I would guess they’re going to ask him to play more defense. And he’s foul-prone,” Taylor said.

“I think Kevin, his offensive skills got better than I think we estimated. The only thing that I still have a question mark about will be his health. I had that concern then, I still have that concern and I think Cleveland should have that concern, too,” Taylor said. “If they sign him to a five-year contract like they’re thinking about, I mean that’s a big contract in a guy that’s had sometimes where he’s missed games.”

if he could do it all over again, Taylor said he would have signed Love to the five-year maximum contract in 2012.

Yes, Love must adjust to no longer being his team’s best player. That could take time, though his respect for LeBron James should help. But Love is better than Kyrie Irving. Much better – and I like Irving.

And why is Taylor just pointing out now what Love got away with in Minnesota? If Love’s defensive effort wasn’t good enough, someone should have held him accountable. It’s on Taylor to establish that organizational culture.

As far as injuries, Love played 77 games last season. Yes, he played just 18 games the year prior due to breaking his hand twice and then having knee surgery. However, I’ve never believe a player suffering injuries making him injury prone. Randomness exists. I’d be more convinced if a doctor – rather than a billionaire – evaluated Love and determined he’s predisposed to injures.

That infamous five-year contract David Kahn refused to give Love in 2012? At least Taylor realized allowing that was a mistake.

Maybe Taylor will eventually say, if he could do it all over again, he’d speak better of Love in 2014.

I don’t remember playing tonight. I didn’t play. Guys get a lot of money to be ready to play. No Knute Rockne speeches. It’s your job. If you’re a plumber and you don’t do your job, you don’t get any work. I don’t think a plumber needs a pep talk. If a doctor botches operations, he’s not a doctor anymore. If you’re a basketball player, you come ready. It’s called maturity. It’s your job.

Like it or not, motivation is part of an NBA coach’s job.

But that’s also precisely what Popovich is doing.

His credentials dwarf any other coach’s. He can play to his own ego and absolve himself of responsibility – and players will seek to please him. His years of success have earned him the ability to motivate this way, a method no other coach could use without alienating his team.

So, why not hold Motiejunas to what became a four-year, $31 million offer sheet once matched? Houston got something in return – a later trigger date on guaranteeing Motiejunas’ 2017-18 salary. Originally, that decision had to be made March 1 – which would’ve meant dropping Motiejunas from the team this season to prevent his salary from counting next season. Now, the Rockets can make that call in July, after this season is complete.

The following two Julys, Houston will also have a choice on guaranteeing Motiejunas’ upcoming salary or dropping him.

Essentially, Motiejunas is signing the most lucrative Hinkie Special in NBA history. If he plays well and stays healthy, the Rockets have Motiejunas at an affordable rate. If he struggles or his back injuries flare up, they can drop him with little to no penalty.

After they backed themselves into this corner, Motiejunas and his agent, B.J. Armstrong, didn’t do so bad. Considering the similarity between this contract and the Nets’ original offer sheet, it seems Houston helped Armstrong save face after a bungled free agency (which is easier to accept when you’re adding a talented reserve to a formidable team).

But for how little is guaranteed and how much control the Rockets hold over the next four years, wouldn’t Motiejunas have been better off accepting the $4,433,683 qualifying offer?

This means Motiejunas can’t sign with the Nets, who signed him to the original offer sheet, for one year.

I bet it also means Motiejunas and Houston have agreed to a new contract. Otherwise, why release him from the offer sheet? The Rockets would be giving up a tremendous amount of leverage out of the goodness of their hearts – unless this is just a prelude to a new deal with Houston.